The present invention relates in general to improved impotence treatment appliances and, in particular, to battery-operated devices improved for user controlled performance and convenience.
The problem of male impotence (i.e., the inability to gain an adequate penile erection for coitus) is well known and the subject of considerable medical and scientific attention. Heretofore, various nonsurgical and surgical therapies have been available for treatment of male impotence. One nonsurgical therapy generally makes use of a vacuum chamber device for producing penile engorgement and rigidity by using a vacuum to draw blood into the erectile bodies of the user's male sex organ, i.e., the penis. Typically, the user's penis is placed within a vacuum chamber or cylinder in order to induce vacuum engorgement. The engorged condition is then generally subsequently secured with an elastic cincture band or the like.
Commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,083,556 (Osbon et al.); 4,378,008 (Osbon, Sr.); and 4,856,498 (Osbon) disclose various examples of vacuum chambers for use in vacuum erection enhancement therapy. As shown, such chambers have a fixed vacuum nipple or port opposite to an open end thereof, into which the flaccid penis is placed for treatment. A vacuum tube is then interconnected to the vacuum nipple and to a vacuum source (i.e., source of negative pressure), such as a manual or hand pump. There are examples of elastic rings shown or discussed in such patents, for being initially applied to the outside diameter of the vacuum chamber, and then subsequently transferred to the base or root of the user's engorged penis, for capturing and maintaining vacuum induced rigidity thereof. Commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. D 317,504 (Osbon) and D 317,505 (Osbon) illustrate other examples of elastic cincture bands.
One known somewhat problematic aspect of utilizing vacuum erection enhancement devices simply concerns the physical requirements (for example, dexterity) of handling the necessary apparatus or equipment. For example, because of the relatively small size of the resilient penile cincture band, the relatively high resiliency thereof, and the acts involved in its use, some degree of user strength and dexterity is involved with its placement as well as with the practice of the overall therapy. Of course, the degree of "difficulty" which may be encountered by users at various times can depend on a number of highly subjective factors and considerations.
In view of the foregoing, and with a general eye towards progression of the technology, a number of advancements, improvements, and other changes, have been disclosed over time. Examples of such, as follows, may be found in the patent literature.
Lederer (U.S. Pat. No. 1,225,341) very simply discloses a vacuum bulb attached directly to an open end chamber for receipt of a penis to be treated. Sell (U.S. Pat. No. 2,874,698) discloses a more developed pump mechanism, using a manual stroking piston pump assembly threadably attached to a vacuum chamber end. Gibbons (U.S. Pat. No. 3,421,504) and Burdette, Jr. (U.S. Pat. No. 3,631,853) respectively disclose various pump arrangements wherein a vacuum cylinder is connected via flexible tubing or the like to some form of manually operated pump assembly.
Marcune (U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,329) discloses a manual pump arrangement commonly received inside a housing associated directly with a vacuum housing for the user's penis. An activating lever is associated with the side of the housing, which housing also contains battery-operated stimulating mechanisms. Still further, Wilson (U.S. Pat. No. 3,744,486) discloses at least three separate embodiments wherein a vacuum chamber 12 is alternatively associated with a side mounted manual pump, a tubing interconnected vacuum bottle, and an electric cord electrical vacuum pump arrangement mounted at the end of the vacuum barrel. Yanuck, Jr. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,753,227) discloses a vacuum erection device wherein an electrical pump 20 is powered by a battery 62 directly associated with the device.
While at least in a broad sense such exemplary patents illustrate that vacuum engorgement technology has progressed from strictly manual pump arrangements to providing electrically powered devices, use of such power assisted devices is not yet widespread due to a variety of functional and practical drawbacks. For example, battery-powered devices, in general, tend to indicate lower powered devices, which could result in pump stalling during vacuum operations. Obviously, such occurrence totally defeats the purpose of the apparatus. In addition, given the sensitive nature of the medical treatment involved, any failure of the device may be considered by the user as operator error, or may for some other reason result in a frustrating experience, which is highly undesirable for such users. As with many other types of treatments, frustration levels can lead to curtailment of the therapy by the user.
In addition to the prospect of motor stall, numerous other aspects of handling or use can result in a failed product and a failed therapy. For example, the convenience of handling and using the device is itself a direct factor in success of the therapy. Also, some impotence patients suffer from various nerve damage, either through disease or age, and may not be directly sensitive to the degree of negative pressure applied to the user's penis. For such reason, the use of power assisted impotence treatment devices can create added user responsibilities for monitoring and care when using treatment products. Ideally, the apparatus itself would facilitate the monitoring and adjusting of negative pressure, even in the event of physical limitations of the user in directly sensing such pressures.
The disclosures of the above-listed patents are fully incorporated herein by reference.